COHERENT AND PARADOXICAL PROFESSIONAL IDENTITIES OF A TAIWANESE ENGLISH TEACHER IN JAPAN

Abstract

This self-study research aims to report and reflect on the practitioner-researcher`s experience as an English teacher in a Japanese university. The study also aims to explore the dynamics of teacher identity construction. The theoretical perspective of this study is based on global Englishes and social constructivist theories, which discuss autonomy, affect, and identity factors in an English-language classroom. Qualitative data are collected from the reflective journal of the English teacher as well as from the written accounts of the students who completed the first semester of the compulsory English communication course. These data (15 teacher reflective journal entries and 50 student written accounts) are examined through content analysis to answer the following three research questions: What are the professional identities of the Taiwanese English teacher? How do the teacher`s classroom practices reflect her professional identities? How are these identities constructed throughout the research period? The results indicate that the differences in the teacher`s experiences have led to paradoxical identities and that the teacher and her students have a coherent positive perception of the teacher as a caring partner and acculturator. The implications of this research are expected to yield suggestions for teacher professional development and the researcher`s personal growth.